Salvia plant named &#39;Florsalvioblu&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Salvia  cultivar named ‘Florsalvioblu’ is disclosed, characterized by a compact plant form, early flowering and abundant violet colored flowers. The new variety is a  Salvia nemerosa , normally produced as an outdoor garden or container plant.

LATIN NAME OF THE GENUS AND SPECIES

Salvia nemerosa

VARIETY DENOMINATION

‘FlorsalVioblu’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new Salvia cultivar is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the inventor. Tobias Braunig. in Quedlinburg, Germany. Theobjective of the breeding program was to produce new Salvia varietieswith denser plant habits, strong garden performance, in a range offlower colors. The open pollination resulting in this new variety wasmade during Summer of 2010.

The seed parent is an unpatented, proprietary, Salvia nemerosa. Thepollen parent is unknown as it was an open pollination breeding program.The new variety was identified as a potentially interesting selection inSummer 2011, at a greenhouse in Quedlinburg, Germany.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar ‘FlorsalVioblu’ by vegetativecuttings was first performed during 2011, at a research greenhouse inQuedlinburg, Germany. Subsequent propagation has shown that the uniquefeatures of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type onsuccessive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘Florsalvioblu’ has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, day length, and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Florsalvioblu’ These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Florsalvioblu’ as a new and distinct Salviacultivar:

1. Violet flower color.2. Compact plant form.3. Abundant flowering.4. Early flowering.

PARENT COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar ‘Florsalvioblu’ are similar to plants of theseed parent in most horticultural characteristics, however, plants ofthe new cultivar ‘Florsalvioblu’ differ in the following:

1. Violet flower color. The seed parent has a dark rose colored flower.2. Less compact in plant form.3. Earlier flowering.4. More abundant flowering.

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar ‘Florsalvioblu’ can also be compared to thecommercial variety Salvia ‘Mainacht”, unpatented. These varieties aresimilar in most horticultural characteristics; however ‘Florsalvioblu’differs in the following:

1. More compact plants.2. More inflorescences.3. Deeper violet blue color.4. Longer flowering time.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photograph in FIG. 1 illustrates in full color atypical plant of ‘Florsalvioblu’ grown in a greenhouse, in Santa Paula,Calif., in a commercial 8 inch container. FIG. 2 illustrates in fullcolor a typical flowers of ‘Florsalvioblu’. Age of the plantphotographed is approximately 16 weeks from an unrooted cutting. Thephotographs were taken using conventional techniques and although colorsmay appear different from actual colors due to light reflectance it isas accurate as possible by conventional photographic techniques.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart 2007 except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observationsand measurements describe ‘Florsalvioblu’ plants grown in a greenhousein Santa Paula, Calif. The growing temperature ranged from approximately10° C. to 30° C. The greenhouse is un-shaded, giving bright, normalsunlight conditions. Measurements and numerical values representaverages of typical plant types.

-   Botanical classification: Salvia nemerosa ‘Florsalvioblu’-   Propagation:    -   -   Root description.—Fine, densely fibrous. Colors include            Green-White 157D on new growth and Orange-White 159C,            Grey-Brown 199B and 199C for older roots.-   Plant:    -   -   Growth habit.—Upright perennial.        -   Pot size of plant described.—1 gallon pot.        -   Height.—Approximately 16 cm to top of foliage. Approximately            24 cm to top of flowering plane. Measured from soil level of            pot.        -   Plant spread.—Approximately 29 cm.        -   Growth rate.—Rapid.        -   Branching characteristics.—Moderately well branched.            Approximately 6 to 8 primary branches per plant.        -   Length of primary lateral branches.—Approximately 12 cm.        -   Diameter of lateral branches.—Approximately 0.4 cm.        -   Quantity of lateral branches.—About 18 to 24.        -   Stem.—Color: Near RHS Green 138A Texture: Pubescent and            ribbed.        -   Internode length.—Average 4.5 cm.        -   Age of plant described.—Approximately 20 weeks from 3 rooted            cuttings.-   Foliage:    -   -   Leaf.—Arrangement: Opposite. Quantity: Approximately 10            fully expanded per main branch. Average Length:            Approximately 5.0 cm. including petiole. Average Width:            Approximately 1.8 cm. Shape of blade: Oblong. Apex: Acute.            Base: Truncate. Attachment: Stalked. Margin: Minutely            dentate. Texture of top surface: Matte, glabrous. Shallowly            reticulate. Texture of bottom surface: Matte, glabrous,            reticulate. Color: Young foliage upper side: Near RHS Green            137C. Young foliage under side: Near RHS Green 137D. Mature            foliage upper side: Near RHS Green 137A. Mature foliage            under side: Near RHS Green 138A. Venation: Type: Reticulate.            Venation color upper side: Near RHS Green 138B. Venation            color under side: Near RHS Green 138C. Petiole: Average            Length: Approximately 0.3 cm. Diameter: Approximately            0.2 cm. Color: Near Green 138B.-   Flower:    -   -   Natural flowering season.—Flowering from early Spring            through late Summer.        -   Inflorescence type and habit.—Flowers arranged in            verticillasters on spikes.        -   Flower longevity on plant.—Individual flowers last            approximately 2 to 3 days on the plant. Each spike lasts            approximately 4 weeks with flowers.        -   Quantity of flowers.—About 16 buds and 16 fully opened            flowers per spike, at one time. Mature plants have            approximately 18 to 24 spikes.        -   Spike size.—Diameter: Approximately 2.0 cm. Height:            Approximately 8.0 cm.        -   Individual flowers.—        -   Size.—Diameter: Approximately 0.8 cm. Length: Approximately            1.2 cm. Persistence: Non-persistent. Fragrance: Faint.        -   Corolla.—Petal arrangement: The corolla is sympetalous and            typically bilabiate with 2 small, fully fused lobes forming            a single upper lip and 3 larger fused lobes forming a lower            lip Margin: Entire. Tip shape: Upper lip tip obtuse, lower            lip tip recuse Length: Upper lip Approximately 0.6 cm. Lower            lip Approximately 0.35 cm. Tube length Approximately 0.6 cm.            Width: Upper lip: Approximately 0.2 cm, lower lip            Approximately 0.4 cm. Tube width: Approximately 0.25 cm.            Texture: Upper lip: Glabrous all surfaces. Lower lip:            Glabrous all surfaces.        -   Color.—Upper Lip: When opening: Inner surface: Near RHS            Violet N88B Outer surface: Near RHS Violet N88A Fully            opened: Inner surface: Near RHS Violet 86A Outer Surface:            Near RHS Violet N88A Fading: Inner surface: Near RHS            Violet-Blue N92B Outer surface: Near RHS Violet-Blue N92B.        -   Color.—Lower Lip: When opening: Inner surface: Near RHS            Violet-Blue N89A Outer surface: Near RHS Violet-Blue N89B            Fully opened: Inner surface: Near RHS Violet-Blue N88A Outer            surface: Near RHS Violet-Blue N88B Fading: Inner surface:            Near RHS Violet-Blue N92B Outer surface: Near RHS            Violet-Blue N92B.        -   Color.—Tube: When opening: Inner surface: Near RHS Violet            84D Outer surface: Violet 83D, base near Violet 85D Fully            opened: Inner surface Near RHS Violet 84D Outer surface:            Violet 83D, base near Violet 85D Fading: Inner surface: Near            RHS Violet-Blue 93C Outer surface: Near RHS Violet 83D.        -   Bud.—Shape: Ovoid Length: Approximately 0.6 cm Diameter:            Approximately 0.3 cm Color: Near RHS Violet-Blue N89A.        -   Calyx.—Length: Approximately 0.4 cm Diameter: Approximately            0.3 cm Shape: Tubular.        -   Sepals.—Shape: Quantity per flower: 3, fused to form a tube.            Unfused apex. Length: Approximately 0.4 cm Width:            Approximately 0.2 cm Margin: Entire Apex: Acute. Texture:            Softly pubescent. Color: Immature: Near RHS Purple N79B,            base green 137B Mature: Near RHS Purple N79B, base green            137B.        -   Peduncle.—Length: Average 2.0 cm. Diameter: 0.3 cm Color:            Near RHS Green 137C. Orientation: Upright, straight.            Strength: Strong. Texture: Softly pubescent, ridged.        -   Pedicels.—Length: Average 0.1 cm. Diameter: 0.1 cm Color:            Near RHS Purple N79B Orientation: Straight, approximately 45            degree angle from attachment. Strength: Flexible. Texture:            Pubescent.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Stamens.—Number: 2 Filament length: Approximately 0.6,            approximately 0.3 cm of length fused to petal. Filament            color: Near RHS Violet 84B.        -   Anthers.—Shape: Very narrowly elliptic Length: Approximately            1.5 mm Color: Near RHS Purple N79B. Pollen: Pollen            production not observed.        -   Pistil.—Number: 1 Length: Approximately 0.8 cm Style:            Length: Approximately 0.7 cm Color: Near Violet N87C Stigma:            Shape: Forked. Color: Near RHS Violet 83A Ovary color: Near            RHS Green 137B.-   Other characteristics:    -   -   Seeds and fruits.—Not observed to date.        -   Disease/pest resistance.—Neither resistance nor            susceptibility to pathogens and pests common to Salvia            nemerosa have been observed.        -   Temperature tolerance.—The new variety tolerates            temperatures within USDA zones 3 to 8.

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Salvia plant named‘FLORSALVIOBLU’ as herein illustrated and described.